NBC REPORT.....US AUTO INDUSTRY AT A CROSSROADS

[Jeff H]

Great point Rob. The current perception of GM is amazing and GM isn't doing much marketing to change it. Even if the quality was identical to imports, most Americans would still want the domestic product to cost 25% less than the import before they would buy it. But consumers will baby and pamper their imports as they praise them, but at the same time they will abuse their domestic vehicles and complain. They need to change the perception of what is really happening with the vehicles to recapture market share. I'm a Chevrolet guy and always will be so if I go to buy a new car it will be a Chevy. The problem is, I don't buy new cars very often so I can't really help GM. I keep thinking it has to do with some really poor management and bad decision making in the upper ranks.

[Kim_Howie]

I said this 25years ago. It's hard to buy a car that cost 12.00 an hour when I am making 6.00 per hour. The cost to build a American car vs Jap car is the problem.

[Canucklehead]

I've had my Ford ranger for 10yrs vertually trouble free. I would stand in line to buy another one anytime. Even though im a chevy guy, when i checked whats out there the ranger was best in it's class.

[PeteLeathersac]

[ QUOTE ]
I've had my Ford ranger for 10yrs vertually trouble free. I would stand in line to buy another one anytime. Even though im a chevy guy, when i checked whats out there the ranger was best in it's class.

[/ QUOTE ]

But isn't your Ranger really a Mazda w/ badge engineering?

~ Pete

[SmallHurst]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I've had my Ford ranger for 10yrs vertually trouble free. I would stand in line to buy another one anytime. Even though im a chevy guy, when i checked whats out there the ranger was best in it's class.

[/ QUOTE ]

But isn't your Ranger really a Mazda w/ badge engineering?

~ Pete

[/ QUOTE ]

Pete,

That may be the case for a lot of products (Ford Escape for instance) but it is being built in the US. As for new designs coming down the pipe for Ford, they are all coming from across the pond (Mazda and Volvo) and they are making some adaptation for North America. One of the other obstacles is the dealership experience. How many people can actually say that they like going to a dealership? I work at the Ford KC Truck plant as a supplier and I drive an Oldsmobile to work. I get to park on the back row of the parking lot (because I am a non-Ford product) and I am not the only one back there. When my car dies (137K and still going) I might buy a new Ford or Ford family product. Here is some more food for thought. All segments of Ford worldwide were in the black except for Ford of North America!

[NapsterNova]

I agree, there is a serious problem in this country. GM and Ford layoffs, CEOs ripping off companies left and right, importing steel, etc. Everything we freakin' own is foreign. I own three Chevys and quite frankly have been trouble free...except for that dang 40 year old Nova. It really breaks my heart when I hear my coworkers say that American cars are crap. I can argue facts and figures until I'm blue in the face but they just keep to their own opinion. One thing goes bad on a guys car and all of a sudden it's "crappy American car" I am sick of it! We import much more than export and it is killing our country. Sorry, I'm just disturbed over Ford’s last announcement.

[WILMASBOYL78]

It took the Japanese 60 years but they finally won the war!!

wilma